Question: If nobody is concerned about drop safety, why leave the chamber empty?
Answer: Because no matter what else happens or doesn't happen, having an empty chamber means the gun will not fire.
No, a gun should not fire if dropped. And a safety should prevent the gun from firing. BUT, everything mechanical can, and will, at some point, fail.
Basic gun safety teaches that. And they can fail in the most unbelievable combinations. I personally know of one gun that failed in such an unusual manner that held upright (normal shooting) putting the safety "on" actually caused the gun to fire! and held at a slight angle (tilted sideways) it functioned completely normally!!!
An empty chamber is the ONE THING we can do that ensures the greatest safety, no matter what else.
As to the 3 downsides, (1) is ONE round less a really a vital concern? Remember there is a difference between combat and home defense.
(2) possibly, but again, is that a vital concern? Again, there is a difference between standing your ground, prepared to repel boarders, waiting for the police, and going out and hunting them. Some people are firmly convinced that the sound of the pump gun being racked is a good thing, causing intruders to flee (thus ending the issue), while others think its a target designator. In my personal situation, its irrelevant. Odds are high that if they can hear the action (of anything) being worked, well enough to know what it is, and where it came from specifically, they already have a pretty good idea where you are.
(3) this can happen with anything. Stress can cause you to improperly operate things. Short shucking a pump is one. The same person, same situation might jam anything, including a semi auto.
Something snagging the trigger when you grab the gun was mentioned. IF the safety fails, loaded, it fires. Empty chamber, it cannot.
Someone else grabbing the gun, also mentioned (child, or bad guy, or really upset spouse
), also mentioned, NOTHING can happen until they realize they have to load the chamber, which may prevent a tragedy.
There is no single "best" for all possible situations, it must all be viewed as calculated risks. For most of us, in most of our situations, we calculate that chamber empty storage is the least overall risk.
Hope this helps you better understand some of the things we consider, when we advocate what we do. The best practice for ready storage when you are expecting hostiles in the wire at any time, and the best practice for mama and two toddlers home alone when you are working the late shift are different things in my opinion.